Regional MES Manager, Americas

We at KEMET, a YAGEO Group company, help make a wide variety of products possible in the world's most rapidly expanding industries. 

Founded in 1919 in Cleveland, Ohio, with over 100 years of technological innovation, we manufacture capacitors and other components for computing, telecommunications, medical, aerospace, defense, and automotive markets.  Our components are found in spacecrafts and defibrillators - from outer space to inside our bodies, and in products we use every day. We have the broadest selection of capacitor technologies in the industry, including an expanding range of electromechanical devices and electromagnetic compatibility solutions.

Job Summary

MES is the heartbeat of YAGEO / KEMET's manufacturing operations. Every unit built, tested, and shipped from our United States and Mexico plants depends on these systems running without interruption, and an hour of MES downtime is an hour of lost production. The Regional MES Manager, Americas owns that responsibility: the regional MES strategy, the platforms themselves, and the teams that keep them available and performing around the clock. This is a role for a leader who thinks like a manufacturer first and a technologist second, who understands takt time, line stoppages, and traceability requirements, and who can translate corporate MES and digital transformation strategy into regional execution that measurably improves efficiency, quality, and throughput. Success is defined by uninterrupted plant operations, disciplined project delivery, and a standardized MES footprint across the region. 

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Industrial Engineering, Automation, or a related technical field. 

• Minimum of eight years of experience supporting manufacturing systems in a discrete manufacturing environment. 

• Minimum of five years of leadership experience managing technical teams. 

• Minimum of five years of hands-on experience with enterprise-scale MES platforms in a large manufacturing organization. 

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including production, inventory, quality, and traceability. 

• Demonstrated understanding of the operational impact of MES downtime on production output, on-time delivery, and product traceability, with a track record of restoring service under pressure. 

• Proven experience leading multi-site MES projects and application support organizations. 

• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and locations. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a proactive approach to execution and follow-through.

• Working knowledge of ISA-95 standards and manufacturing system integration. 

• Experience integrating MES with SAP or Oracle ERP, SCADA, PLC, and IoT systems. 

• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies. 

• Experience with Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines. 

• Experience with cloud-native architectures and container platforms such as OpenShift or Kubernetes. 

• PMP or an equivalent project management certification. 

• This position is based on site at the KEMET facility in Simpsonville, South Carolina. 

• Travel is expected approximately twice per year to the Mexico manufacturing sites, with occasional additional domestic travel as business needs require. 

• The role supports 24/7 manufacturing operations and requires availability for occasional after-hours escalation during critical production incidents.

• Simpsonville, SC – United States
• Full Time
• Onsite

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

YAGEO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnicity or national origin, disability, pregnancy, religion, political affiliation, union membership, protected veteran status, protected genetic information,  marital status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law, in making employment decisions including but not limited to hiring, wages, promotions, rewards, and access to training. Qualified applicants and workers shall be provided with reasonable accommodation for disability and religious practices.

What We Offer

• Collaborative work environment that values innovation and teamwork
• Inclusive company culture built on respect, integrity, and continuous improvement
• Career growth opportunities with access to training, and mentorship
• Work–life balance support through flexible practices and employee wellness initiatives
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, retirement, and employee programs
• Global impact by contributing to sustainable solutions and industry-leading technologies

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